Further to the negotiation by the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage (NMW) and subsequent withdrawal of Labour from negotiation, the Leadership of the National Assembly intervened on 2nd June, 2024. The Organised Labour declared nationwide strike on Monday, 3rd June, 2024 to drive home its demands.
The Federal Government, in the National interest, convened a meeting with Labour held in the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, on Monday 3rd June, with a view to ending the strike action.
After exhaustive deliberation and engagement by both parties, the following resolutions were reached:
The President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria is committed to a National Minimum Wage that is higher than N60,000;
Arising from the above, the Tripartite Committee is to meet everyday for the next one week with a view to arriving at an agreeable National Minimum Wage;
Labour in deference to the high esteem of the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria’s commitment in continuing negotiations undertakes to convene a meeting of its organs immediately to consider this commitment; and no worker would be victimized as a result of the industrial action.
Signed for the Federal Government of Nigeria: Mohammed Idris.
Minister of Information and National Orientation
Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha. Minister of State for Labour and Employment
In the same vein, Joe Ajaero, President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) signed for organized Labour while his counterpart, Festus Osifo
President, Trade Union Congress (TUC) signed for TUC.
Meanwhile, members of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) on Monday, locked out judges, lawyers, staff and litigants from accessing courts in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in compliance with the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC)’s directive.
FCT High Court, Maitama; Federal High Court (FHC); Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, showed that court activities were totally paralysed as JUSUN members positioned themselves outside the heavily locked gates.
Private security guards and few police officers were also sighted around the court gates as lawyers, litigants, visitors, including journalists, were not allowed entry into the courts’ premises.
Comrade Samuel Ikpatt, Chairman of the FHC Chapter of JUSUN, said the union was in total compliance with the directive of the NLC that workers should down tool beginning from Monday.
“We are the affiliate of NLC. So we are in total compliance with the strike action, including all our divisions,” he said.
According to him, no court is sitting.
When asked if lawyers are being allowed to gain access into the high-rise building, he said: “There is nobody inside the courts because we are in total compliance with the directive.”
On when the gate would be opened, Ikpatt said: “Until when we get directive from our parent body, which is the NLC.”
Also speaking, Comrade Mohammed Danjuma-Yusuf, who is the Treasurer of JUSUN Chapter of Court of Appeal, said that they were complying with the NLC’s directive.
“So Court of Appeal is in total shutdown; 100 per cent compliance. All the 20 branches of Court of Appeal is in total shutdown.
“Nobody is allowed in, even judges,” he said.
Danjuma-Yusuf said the gate would be opened when the union received a directive from the national headquarters of NLC.
NLC and TUC had, on May 31, declared an indefinite strike, beginning from today, June 3.
The organised labour decided to embark on industrial action after the negotiations between them and the government over the minimum wage of workers was deadlock.
